A World to Believe In
by Fomalhaut
Summary: A funny young KC's journey told in flashbacks as she travels home with only one of her old friends by her side. NWN2 OC with a small unusual MotB reference. FINALLY UPDATED! Sand, Grobnar and a spider... please R and R!
1. Stranded

**Quite a different start, as the Knight Captain is not placed in Okku's barrow here - this story will follow the OC. Now, questions arise and old acquaintances (or memories of them) show up. Please read and review, opinions and possible predictions are welcome. (Mostly reviews. They keep me going.)**

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Honestly, I don't really know where – and mostly _how_ – should I begin my story. Maybe the moment the Vale of Merdelain collapsed above us, and my world together with it? Or the gargoyles' claws on my shoulders, and the two women's voices as I floated high in the air, watching helplessly as they cut me up to get the silver shard out of my chest? Or maybe go back to the beginning, when I fought in the Harvest Brawl? Or when I first met _him_… oh damn, but there's _two_ of them. Two important men in my life… or maybe three, if we count the one who insisted on "teaching" me about biology, with particular attention to reproductive organs.

Really, I'm no bard. Travelling with one so long only taught me how _not_ to sing, how _not_ to tell a story, how _not_ to eat too much whitethistle (not that I even wanted to try it), and how _not_ to misplace words and confuse expressions, unless you want people to think your hormones are raging. Sheesh. It _didn't_ teach me how to tell a story, no sir.

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Okay, let's start with me lying on an operating table, my soul floating high above my body, unable to intervene. When I saw the women, one dressed in red and one in white, removing my shard (not that I felt too attached to it in the first place), I thought I would return to my comfy bed in Crossroad Keep in no time, and live happily ever after. Oh how wrong I was.

"Look!" said one of them, sounding rather shocked.  
Were my intestines that surprising?  
"We can't" said the other.  
Can't what? Stitch me up already?  
"Poor soul…"  
Yeah, being cut up by two strangers sucks! I would have loved to tell them, but couldn't.  
Then suddenly the door swung open, and a rather annoyed short girl dressed in green walked, or, rather,_ ran_ in.  
"What are you two doing?"  
Cutting me up, yeah, really.  
"Removing the shard" one of the women said.  
"Yeah, whatever, I'm here to get the Lord Captain or whatever she's called to safety."  
_Knight_ Captain, you fool! And at least _Lady_, in case you haven't noticed I'm not a man.  
The two women looked at each other. Then they left me there, on the table (dammit, stitch me up! I was _bleeding_!), and threw some spell at Green Girl, knocking her unconscious.  
"_She_ will go to the Barrow."  
"But the Captain of Crossroad Keep…"  
"Poor soul. She can't, we can't."  
"I understand."  
Well, _I_ didn't for sure. Okay, I can't exactly walk around with my intestines spilling out, but what was this _poor soul_ thing about?

I got to know only a while from there, and I suppose it was the biggest shock of my life. But we'll get to that later.

Then they came back, looked into my intestines again, and sighed deeply.  
"Poor soul."  
Yes, I have heard that. Might you explain?!  
"She doesn't know yet."  
What? That you two are trying out the sharpness of your knives on _me_?  
"She will get to know."  
Oh yeah, if you two stop talking cryptically already!

Then, thank goodness, they stitched me up, and next thing I know I was lying on some grass, half dazed, hurt and only wanting to go back to my comfy bed in Crossroad Keep. Trying to clear my head, I sat up… and suddenly remembered something.

Elanee. She had told me Green Girl was a wandering druid who joined up with the Circle of the Mere for a while… she told me when we saw her sitting on a tree chatting with the little birdies there. Why was _she_ sent to rescue me from two mad practicing surgeons, I'll never know. It should have been Elanee, she made it out of the Vale after all, right? _Right_?!

Oh hell. I had to get to Crossroad Keep soon.

* * *

_Welcome to Immilmar_, said the sign beside the gate of the city I was about to enter. I remembered reading it was the capital of Rashemen, so well, I was _quite_ far from Crossroad Keep. Those two crazed psychos couldn't just send me back after throwing poor Green Girl in some barrow, eh? No. They simply had to dispose of me as it came.

I still had some money with me, so, after shaking the initial daze off, I asked around to find an inn, and after some more questions, I knew what I had to do. Board the first ship full of Rashemi wool and other cargo, get to Narfell, and try to get back to the Sword Coast. I bought a map, and headed for the inn they recommended.  
"Give me something… uh, no, not ale. Thanks, sparkling spring-water will do" I said to the bartender as I unfolded the map.  
Oh hell, it will take about a year! I knew Rashemen was far, but not _this_ far!

I didn't yet think about how will I get back. My money was enough for a stay at the inn and maybe a ride on a ship, but definitely not enough for such a long journey. Oh, my… but I needed to know what became of my friends!

"Are you okay, little lady?" asked the bartender.  
Yeah, I suppose I look like a little girl. I'm only 18, in fact, and quite a short, slim half-elf, too.  
"Yes…" I said "I'm Lailli Heyrand, by the way."  
"Nice to meet you. Reigar. So, how long are you planning to stay?"  
"Well, the ship leaves tomorrow, so I guess it's only one night."  
"Aww, you're missing out the spectacle tomorrow, then."  
"I suppose so. What's it about?"  
"Well, there's a gnome bard playing every second night."  
"Oh, no, please! Don't remind me…"

I remembered Grobnar, always smiling and happy to lead me on crazy adventures to find the Wendersnaven and whatnot. I saw him in the collapsing Vale, running back amid the falling rocks to get to his beloved Construct…  
I buried my face in my hands, as I mourned his loss.

"Miss Heyrand…?" asked Reigar.  
"It's okay… just that I…" I wiped away a tear "I used to know a gnome bard as well. And I'm afraid he is dead…"  
"I'm sorry for your loss. But I'm pretty sure you never saw or heard anyone like him before."  
"And why not?"  
"This one… hmm, his name escapes me… but, oh well, he's playing _an invisible instrument_."


	2. Discovery

**Sorry if this one's a little messy. Thanks for all the faves, reviews always more than welcome!**

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My glass shattered on the floor, making the poor bartender start and the few other people around fall silent.

"Where is he?!" I asked, no, rather yelled.

"But…"

"I need to know!"

_The Wendersnaven… Grobnar… _

"Upstairs… but really, I can't tell you more…"

I slammed three gold coins and a few coppers on the table, and Reigar immediately changed his mind.

"The second room to the left."

As I rushed upstairs, I didn't care that that was almost all my money, nor that I didn't have any more coin for a passage on the ship to Narfell or even for a room at the inn. I needed to find out if my friend has survived. My best friend, Grobnar Gnomehands.

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I have to tell you some more about this here, I guess. When I first met him, on my way to Old Owl Well near Neverwinter City, all that my companions wanted was run for their lives, especially after he began telling us how to write a song at around noon, and near midnight he was still merrily talking, but by then about a spring-mounted mechanical shield and his codpiece. The weird thing was, while my companions had fallen asleep (I noticed only after Grobnar stopped chattering as he remembered to breathe), I didn't. I listened intently, as I love telling tales too, though I'm not as far as good as he was. I never learnt how to tell a story well, see, even now I keep on switching. So, there he was, Grobnar Gnomehands, standing around his little campsite. A gnome with lovely… err, I mean _lively_ brown eyes and frizzy blonde hair, mandolin in hand.

"Amazing!" I told him once he finished "I used to be known as pretty much of a tale teller around my village, but this… you are wonderful!"

No, I'm not a bard, as I have already told you. In fact, I have no idea what I am, though some called me a thief just because I like disassembling stuff. But hey, I'm just curious! I want to know how things work! Um, come to think of it, I even disassembled Grobnar's mandolin once, but he somehow managed to reassemble it, something that I would have never been able to do. I guess we make up for each other well!

So, after I had praised Grobnar in every possible way, Khelgar Ironfist, my honorable dwarven fighter friend and strong protector, rubbed his eyes, stirred, and stared at me incredulously.

"Ye calling _this_ amazing, lass?! I say it's time we smash his head and…"

"Oooh" Grobnar's eyes lit up as he clapped his hands "come to think of it, I nearly had my head smashed once! So, there was this angry ogre and…"

"Grobnar" I smiled at him "you'll tell us on the way, okay? We're going to Old Owl Well, it will take a while, so you'll be able to!"

"What?!" Khelgar seemed shocked "you mean he's…"

"But of course!" I replied "come along, Grobnar, you'll find plenty of material for new songs if you come with us, and your tales will keep us entertained all the way!"

"Why, thank you! I remember a kind person like you who…"

"Remember to tell us! Now, let's go and…"

"He's really coming?!" Neeshka, a tiefling rogue I started to become good friends with, seemed more than irritated "will you excuse me if I go back to your uncle's tavern and have a drink?"

For my uncle, Duncan, used to run a tavern in Neverwinter.

"But Neeshka, it's far! You won't catch up with us any more!"

"Don't worry!" and she ran off. I still have no idea why she did so.

Elanee, the elven druid I have already told you about, just sighed as she picked up her gear.

As for me, I could already tell I was going to love Grobnar. And in fact, during our long journeys, he was the one who always managed to cheer me up, and he was by my side in every single battle I fought. When I last saw him after the final showdown with the King of Shadows, as the Vale of Merdelain was collapsing, he was trying to get back to one of his creations, a blade golem, and I screamed for him to let it go, then rocks fell and I was sure he had died…

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But at the inn at Immilmar, I saw a glimmer of hope. For Grobnar had an invisible instrument too (I'll tell you more later), and I was pretty sure gnome bards with such incredible gear weren't very common.

I knocked on the second door to the left.

"In a second, oh yes!" the happy, cheerful voice made me shiver.

I perceived the door opening as painfully slow. Then…

"Oh my" he said, as he stood there, dressed in just a bathrobe "you look almost exactly like a friend of mine!"

Typical. But I was too shaken up to start trying to convince him, so instead I threw myself at him knocking him to the ground (yeah, as I'm a half-elf, he's very much shorter than me, but I didn't care), and hugged him tightly.

"My, my lady!"

"Grobnar! You're alive!" I felt tears of joy gathering in my eyes "and it's me, Lailli, Lailli Heyrand!"

We somehow managed to pull ourselves up to our knees, and I still held one of his hands, as I kept on wiping my eyes with my sleeve.

I really, really wanted to know how he survived! Whoa, how much time has passed? Must be just a few days… or was it more? When those psychos cut me up…

"Grobnar! Please, tell me…" I couldn't even finish my question. As I stood up, staggering, I suddenly got enveloped in darkness.

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I woke up even dizzier than after the operation or, rather, butchery. I was lying in a bed, dimming evening light coming through the large windows with white curtains. But where was I? Was it all a dream? Was I back in Crossroad Keep or something?

I yelped to see Grobnar sleeping on a chair beside my bed, half slumped over, his head lying on my knees.

"Uh?" he woke up and blinked "no, no, no, you stay in bed!"

For I have begun to pull the white cover off me.

"Why? Am I sick?"

Oh, great. Those practicing surgeons must have infected me with some nasty disease. I was most certainly _screwed_.

"Well, not _exactly_…" he seemed somewhat embarrassed.

"What is this place anyway?"

"The temple of Bhalla or Chauntea, Immilmar, the capital of Rashemen and…" he kept on chattering, citing every single detail as always "…and then you fell on my floor as if asleep, and I was so scared I began screaming, and the priests showed up and that's why we're here and…

I just looked at him smiling, then ruffled up his soft hair to take his attention back on me. I really couldn't wait to hear how he survived! But first, to ask for some healing potions or disease cures and get out of this temple.

"You stay in bed!" he gently pushed me back, then looked down at me intently, resting his elbows next to my pillow.

"Grobnar, why?" I was getting really worried.

"Lailli…" he blushed "you…"

"Aaah! I can't die! I'm too young for that!" I screamed.

"No, that's not it" he shook his head.

"Oh, fine… then what? Grobnar, I gotta get moving…"

"Lailli, you are… erm… how shall I put this…" he moved a hand to my stomach "you are…"

Suddenly it dawned on me.

_Poor soul._ The other soul inside me.

I was pregnant.


	3. Friends or foes

**I hope I finally got things moving here. :) Enjoy, and please review! I'd like to know your thoughts. (And I won't make the pairing obvious, for now.)**

**So please, if you take a look at this story, leave a review to know you care or at least gave it a try. Thank you. :)**

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Thousands of thoughts rushed across my mind in a few seconds. I must have looked pathetic, sitting with a blank expression on my face. Grobnar tilted his head a little, then almost fell over when I suddenly cried out and grabbed him, holding on to him almost maniacally. He was all that was left to me… he winced as my nails dug into his shoulders and I very nearly ripped his clothing. He just shyly placed his hands on my upper arms, waiting for me to calm down. Apparently he managed to understand the gravity of a situation, for once.

"Thank you." I said after a while, then wiped away a last tear.

But then, I knew more than ever that I had to get back to Crossroad Keep. My world has been turned upside down; I totally forgot about Grobnar's tale, in fact, I did not ask him how he survived. Or at least, not there and then.

"So Lailli, you'll stay here for the next nine months and…"

"Forget it!" I threw the cover off and stood up, despite Grobnar's protests.

I wasn't mortally ill, and, though I knew I had to protect both myself and the other life inside me, I would never forgive myself if I settled in a foreign field, giving birth there and not seeing all that used to be important to me my whole life. And, with a child, it would be even harder to get back. But I wanted to see my fortress, West Harbor, the Sword Coast, Neverwinter, and all the places I have been and lived in, again. Well, maybe except for some smelly dungeons and the Vale of Merdelain, but the latter had collapsed anyway.

"I'm going home."

I realized only then I spent all my money on bribing the innkeeper to tell me where Grobnar was staying. Oh hell. Guess I'll have to beg the priests to take me in…

"And I'm going with you!" Grobnar interrupted my thoughts just as I was wondering on the best strategy to ask the servants of Chauntea to take pity on a poor mother-to-be. _Mother!_ I still needed to get accustomed to the idea. It seemed so surreal.

"And who… made it?" asked Grobnar suddenly.

"What…?"

"Who's the daddy? Sir Bishop? Sir Casavir? Sand? Me?"

I was pretty much left speechless. Especially concerning three of the four options, and mostly the last one, since I couldn't recall ever sleeping with Grobnar, or even _thinking_ about that. Actually, I was pretty sure we weren't biologically compatible.

"_Grobnar_!" I said, annoyed "figure it out yourself. It's not that hard. You even wrote a song about us!"

He stood in deep thought for a couple of seconds, then his face lit up.

"Ooooh, I see now! If only I could recall the tune…"

As we walked to the adjoining main hall of the temple, he kept on humming.

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When I left West Harbor, barely 17, I was totally enthusiastic due to all the tales I have read and listened to. Though it was supposed to be a simple delivery to my Uncle Duncan, whom I have never seen before, it's usually on trips like this that young girls meet new friends and handsome men, right? And Neverwinter was supposed to be a big, flourishing city…

Well, tales were tales, and reality was reality. One called me a wench, the other would always stay reserved (except when arguing with number one), the third couldn't say a word without receiving a harsh response from my Uncle, and thus always ended up exchanging insults with him instead of getting interested in me, and I wasn't biologically compatible with the other ones, so I pretty much considered drowning my sorrows. Too bad that's not a good idea when there are various monsters and murderers on your tail. Add that you have no idea why, and there goes a perfect mess. I used to doubt severely that it was all because of some random shiny pieces of silver. Not at all an epic tale. Grobnar, of course, could write a song even about a boot, so at least he found some inspiration.

Things began to speed up, though, after I took Grobnar to my Uncle's inn, the Sunken Flagon, and the strange man sitting at one of the tables looked into my eyes for the first time. But it was just a split second, then he looked past me, right into my new friend Casavir's, the noble paladin's, eyes.

"How may I be of assistance?" Casavir asked, polite as ever.

"Get lost, false knight" he muttered and turned to his tankard of ale again.

Casavir didn't even wince, but I could see his stare harden. It was strange how I noticed that while I was still entranced by those amber eyes.

"Come on, milady" said Casavir in the end "you must be tired."

I nodded, and accepted his arm as he led me to my room. I kept an eye on the strange man until we turned to the stairway, though, but he never looked up again.

Sand, the elven wizard, now, he was another subject. I would have called him Powder, though, as sand is quite rough, and he was so smooth. It appeared he didn't like nicknames.

"Oh, definitely Duncan's kin, aren't you?" he said "and tell your beloved uncle that I'll stop giving him discounts if his niece calls me after other substances."

But he used to be kind and attentive, even if he was probably only interested in those pieces of silver I was somehow forced to carry around to find out what they actually were, not that the thing bothered me in the first place. That was about Sand, just until Uncle Duncan said as much as a single word, for after that we could simply sit down as spectators of the show.

Several adventures – or, rather, Tymora help me, misadventures – led up to the second time the strange man looked into my eyes, and wouldn't let go from then on. Bishop's (that was his name) amber eyes always caught me, even if he insulted Casavir, seemed eager to kill Grobnar, and wasn't much kinder to me either. Until that misty evening, when…

Oh hell, I'm straying off again. Maybe I should ask Grobnar to help me put my thoughts in order. For now, let's forget about those eyes…

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So, Grobnar asked the priests of Chauntea for some potions and other useful things for a long journey, then promised me he'd never leave my side, and would also have insisted about me staying in Immilmar, but I would not be deterred. I wanted to get to Crossroad Keep at any cost.

"I wonder what's the father doing now?" I sighed.

I still couldn't believe me and my love were definitely linked. But I hoped to find him waiting for me, and that we would get married…

"For now, I'm being the father!" said Grobnar, and two seconds later he was already busy suggesting various names.

That's what I meant by _raging hormones_. With Grobnar constantly omitting some crucial words or confusing expressions, and never forgetting to declare loudly that he was going to be a proud father, the journey was sure going to be interesting. Or what, a living hell!


	4. Ranger's kiss

**Please read and review - reviews really keep me going - as things are getting moving here! And don't worry, everything will be explained in due time.

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Grobnar called off his show, and the next morning we were already on a boat ready to set sail for Narfell. A cargo of Rashemi wool and wine will be most welcome there, and it was arranged for a caravan of Nar merchants to wait for us on the shore, as they were on their way to Bildoobaris.

"Ooh, Bildoobaris!" Grobnar clapped his hands "oh my, I have _always_ wanted to see it, and play my music there!"

"What?" I asked.

"Bildoobaris, the tent-city! Narfell has no capital, you know, and every summer they build Bildoobaris, where merchants and entertainers gather for a tenday!"

"Really? Sound exciting!" I smiled.

It was the beginning of summer, so I guessed we'd be there in time.

"Oh! Grobnar!" I suddenly remembered something "you… how did you escape?"

"From where?" he asked absent-mindedly, fiddling with his pack.

"Come on! The Vale of Merdelain! I saw you and…"

"Oh, but isn't it obvious?"

"Well, no… uh…"

He closed his eyes and began playing a soft tune on his Wenderkazoo, the Wendersnaven instrument he found in a strange glade during our adventures.

"It was _them_. The Wendersnaven!"

Apparently, the Wendersnaven were extremely powerful creatures whom you cannot see or touch… so how did he know?

"But…"

"I sat on Construct's shoulder, trying to shield him. When I saw a huge… oh, my, _gigantic_ rock coming! It was really enormous, it reminded me of… oh, sorry! So, I took _this_ out, trusting in its magic, and then… I felt nothing."

I scratched my head, not really getting the point.

"And then I found myself sitting at the inn at Immilmar, still playing, and the crowd cheering!"

Actually, I was pretty sure he colored up the tale _quite_ a bit, but, since he wasn't kidnapped by gargoyles or cut up by psychos, it could as well be true.

I yawned. The cargo was still getting loaded.

"Mind if I take a nap? The journey will take a couple of days anyway…"

"Sure!" he put the Wenderkazoo away "I'll watch over _both_ of you!"

I smiled and ran a hand through his soft blonde hair, he was so cute and sweet…

Soon I was already asleep, and I actually dreamed back something that had happened months before, back in Neverwinter…

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"So, Bishop" I tried to make conversation, since he joined up with me, or, rather, was forced to join "how's the life of a ranger?"

"Hmph" he simply looked past me.

"Hey! I asked something!" I waved a hand in front of his face, and yelped when he suddenly grasped my arm to make me stop, but still without even giving me a single glance.

"I heard that."

With that, he thought it was over. Casavir, the noble knight, looked at him with a piercing gaze. Grobnar, lost in his own little world as usual, just whistled some tune.

"Bishop!" said Casavir suddenly, before I could slap the ranger a couple of times for not answering me "listen, an innocent woman's life is at stake now. Try to understand, and help our leader. The sooner we find her, the better."

For a farmgirl I barely knew got kidnapped by the githyanki (some weird green monsters, I still didn't know what the hell did they want from _me_) from Uncle Duncan's inn, and, of course, _I_ was sent to save her. Otherwise, the inn's reputation would suffer, that's what Powd… uh, I mean, _Sand_ said when I asked him for some magical supplies. I suppose it was meant to be sarcastic, but, getting to know him better, I realized we can be sure of nothing when he's around. Oh, Sand.

Bishop just spat (narrowly avoiding his own wolf, Karnwyr) and kept on staring in front of himself. I felt really uncomfortable, have I done something wrong? But why wouldn't he talk to me?

Scary as it was, he suddenly turned to me as if he's been reading my thoughts.

"What I do and why are nothing of your business, girlie! Those cute looks won't buy my thoughts!"

Oh hell, that was it again. I got lost in those amber, at places speckled with green, eyes.

"Uuuhhh…" I unconsciously reached into my purse as I looked at my reflection in them.

"20 gold? Oh my. So, one question allowed" Bishop grinned.

"How's the life of a ranger…?"

"Hard. Predator or prey, sometimes both. Now now, look…" he put an arm around my shoulders, I felt his breath next to my ear "the tracks left by the githyanki…"

"Uh-uh…" I nodded, shivering, but definitely not from cold.

Strangely, as we kept on searching for the farmgirl, Shandra, Bishop never asked me again to pay him to say a few words. I had no idea why, but, truly, didn't spend too much time pondering, as I blindly followed the man with those hypnotizing eyes. Casavir didn't look too happy about it.

I realized why only when we were heading back to the Sunken Flagon. I had fought off countless monsters, sealed away a real devil named Mephasm (what he was doing in the githyanki lair, I'll never know), and barely recovered from the shock that I actually had a piece of silver _inside_ me, so you can see I wasn't exactly in the best condition for what was to come.

"How about some wine?" Bishop looked into my eyes intensely.

"Uh… no… thanks…" I tried to resist.

"Aww, too bad" he began to drink, but still kept on staring at me.

"Um, Uncle? I think… I'll get some fresh air…"

I gathered my will and broke eye contact with Bishop, then ran out. As mist rose from the waters of the Docks, I sighed deeply and tried to get over those eyes. I didn't fancy or even _like_ Bishop! But… those eyes…

"Lailli" I heard a voice.

"Bishop!" that was it, why did I have to look at him? But it was the first time he called me by name…

"Really, being alone at night around the Docks isn't safe for such a girl as you… trust me…" he walked closer. I couldn't back away, I was standing against the wall of the Sunken Flagon.

"Well… uh… I'm gonna get back inside, okay… then… mmf!"

My eyes widened as he pressed me against the wall and kissed me fiercely. Damn it, that was my _first_ kiss!

"Now now, you really need to practice kissing more…" he grinned as he pulled away, cupping my face in his hands "maybe I can teach you."

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"Whoa!" I woke up with a start.

"Oh my, Lailli, did you have a bad dream?" Grobnar asked, panicking.

Judging from where he sat, he must have dozed off with his head resting on my shoulder, which wasn't right. What were we, lovers?

"No…" well it wasn't _exactly_ a nightmare "hey, are we ready to set sail now?"

Just as I finished the question, I felt the ship shaking as we rose the anchor. On our way to Narfell, then.


	5. Doors

**Thanks for the reviews! Don't forget to give me more! ;)

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The boat rocked quite hard, but luckily I wasn't like Khelgar, who, while on our way to Neverwinter on a ship, spent most of the time leaning overboard and throwing up. With Neeshka, the cheery tiefling rogue and one of my funniest companions (though not as entertaining as my dear Grobnar) laughing at him. If I had those two with me, they would never stop bickering. About the boat rocking this time, Grobnar didn't seem to mind too much, for he kept on changing his instruments (mandolin, flute, harp, Wenderkazoo) to entertain me with different songs, all of them related to happy families and babies, this time.

"Will you name her Layla?" he asked suddenly.

"How do you know it's a girl? And why Layla?"

"What? Oh, you know, I was just wondering about whitethistle which led me to leaves and it begins with an L, and the name suddenly popped into my mind!"

"What if it's a boy?"

"Oooh, let me think!"

I sighed and lay back on the quite uncomfortable straw mattress.

Suddenly the door opened and a crewmember walked in, tossed me a letter and walked off without saying a word. Those Rashemi people should really learn some manners!

I unfolded and read it.

_If you happen to meet Naevan, tell him, the next time he sends me to rescue a stranger, to warn me of any possible curses!_

In a corner was an oak leaf, the symbol of Silvanus, the Oak Father. I guessed it must have been from Green Girl, though I didn't really understand the whole "curse" thing. And at least I knew it was Naevan, the leader of the Circle of the Mere, who sent her to save me from those women with a thing for cutting people open.

Speaking of "open", did I tell you about the Sunken Flagon's doors?

So (this was soon after Bishop stole my first kiss), Uncle Duncan allowed several people who helped me to stay in his inn's rooms for free. I had my own comfy room, of course. Right next to mine was Grobnar's, so he could come over to sing to me at any time I wished, but honestly, I couldn't remember in which order the others were. It would have been useful to learn them, though… I mean, if I wanted to talk to say, Shandra the farm girl, who showed off some fighting skills as she offered to help me, it wouldn't be nice to accidentally open into Qara's, the pyromaniac sorceress' room and be set on fire for disturbing her.

* * *

So, it was a few days after Shandra occupied her room and things seemed to have returned to normal. Bishop kept an eye on me all the time, but I tried not to give him opportunities to kiss me again. Not that he was a bad kisser, not at all, but hell, I didn't even like him too much!

Seeing my luck – and mind you, I follow Tymora, Lady Luck! – of course Uncle Duncan and the others left me alone with him one night. Well, I was too busy admiring the trophies on the walls to notice everyone had gone to bed.

"My lady…" I heard his voice.

"Shut up… I'm going upstairs" I didn't turn around. I didn't want those eyes to hypnotize me again.

He placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Lailli" he said. I could make out the lust in his voice.

"Bishop!" I still didn't turn around "don't touch me or I'll shove your bow up your behind!"

"You've got a sharp tongue, my lady!"

"Then don't kiss me again, you might just cut yourself!"

He laughed and put his arms around me.

"Let me go!"

"Come on, you know you want this…"

"I don't! I said let me go! _Now_!"

"No way" he suddenly turned me around.

_No! Those eyes!_

And that was it. He kissed me and I melted, my eyes still open in shock, though. Why did I let myself go?

Suddenly I heard the floor creaking; somebody was getting closer. I gathered all my strength to try and push Bishop away.

"Oh, what strong arms you have, my lady…" he grinned as he reached out for me again. He just touched my face when Casavir appeared in the doorway.

"Casavir!" I felt some relief, for I hoped Bishop wouldn't start groping me again with the noble knight nearby. Oh how wrong I was, again.

For Bishop simply grabbed my sides, shoved me up against the wall and kissed me again, hungrily and lustfully this time.

Casavir turned his heels and ran off, then I heard a door slam.

But that was definitely it. Bishop kisses me? Okay. Bishop tries to get to me? Okay. He's a pervert? His problem. But having one of my friends and protectors lose faith in me? No way!

That was far enough of those eyes. I lifted my knee and hit his sensitive spot. And, once he finally let me go, I gave him such a slap that he fell on the floor.

"Son of a bitch!" come to think of it, he was likely to be _actually_ one.

_Casavir! No!_

I rushed upstairs to his room, to tell him it was not what it looked like…

Too bad I didn't know which one was his room. So I randomly opened into one.

_Some doors are better left closed_.

I'm sure people tell me this figuratively, not literally, but then I couldn't care less.

I spent the next three days trying to forget the scene of Khelgar kissing Neeshka as he stood on a stool.

* * *

"Look, Lailli, shouldn't we go eat something now?" Grobnar's voice woke me from my thoughts "oh wait, no no no, you stay in bed!"

With this, he rushed to get me something. Oh, dear Grobnar.

There was one day to go to finally reach Narfell.


	6. Moonlight

**Here's the newest chapter - I'd love more reviews, predictions, anything! **

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"Lailli!"

I groaned and turned over. The straw mattress was still horribly uncomfortable, but I really wanted to sleep…

"Lailli!" Grobnar gently put a hand on my shoulder.

"What is it?" I rubbed my eyes trying to wake up, but no avail.

"We've docked."

I looked out of the small window to see complete darkness.

"But it's the middle of the night!"

"Um… it is, but we need to pack everything in the small camp we're making outside. The ship goes back tomorrow, to bring more wool to Bildoobaris. Come, they've got a tent for us too!"

I yawned and stood up. Grobnar supported me as I walked, not that I needed it, but he just wanted to make sure. He became so caring since that day in Immilmar…

We prepared our bedrolls in the small tent, and Grobnar insisted that he'd go back to the ship to get all our belongings, as he seemed not to accept the idea of me carrying any weight.

As I waited for him, I gazed at the stars and the full moon slowly rising. The whole desolate, sandy land (typical of Narfell, as I remembered from tales and books) and the water was shining in its cold light.

I closed my eyes and remembered a similar night, on our way to Port Llast.

* * *

So, a few days after Shandra was rescued and the "Bishop affair" (after seeing Khelgar and Neeshka, I lost all motivation to speak to Casavir, I just hoped he didn't judge me), Sir Nevalle, a blonde knight who always tended to throw me dreamy looks, walked in as we were having dinner in Uncle Duncan's inn. I sat next to Casavir (and thus as far as possible from Bishop); he didn't seem to mind, which I took as a sign of him having forgiven me or at least not thinking I was the latest notch on the ranger's bedpost.

"Good evening!" said Uncle Duncan "want to dine with us? There's a free seat…"

"I'm afraid not. I'm here to arrest your niece."

"Oh come on!" I kept on eating "what a stupid joke!"

"It's no joke, I'm sorry, Miss Heyrand" he looked sad "Luskan has accused you of slaughtering an entire village."

"The githyanki?" I tilted my head, failing to get either the point or the gravity of the situation.

"Ember."

Now _that_ was the moment when I nearly choked on my slice of cheese.

"What the heck? I just walked across that place! Shandra! We even spoke to some acquaintance of yours on our way back!"

"True" she nodded "what's this ridiculous thing? But Ember…"

Nevalle bowed his head.

"Ember has been destroyed, the villagers slaughtered."

Shandra cried out and her eyes filled with tears.

All of us at the table looked in shock at each other. Except Bishop, of course, insensitive as he was.

Well, we only twice walked across Ember, once when we chased the githyanki to rescue Shandra, and once on our way back. A young girl whom Shandra knew seemed happy to see her, and was sorry to hear she wouldn't be able to trade any wheat or fruit next harvest, as her farm had been burned down. The githyanki, of course. Basically, Ember was a peaceful little village of farmers.

"That little boy! Wasn't it him?" I asked suddenly.

For on our first time through Ember, we met a strange child of about ten. He told me I would be the one to destroy his village. I assured him he was mistaking me for someone else, and lent him Bishop's favorite skinning knife to play with. He said he would use it in self-defense, though…

"No kid" Nevalle shook his head "it was the ambassador of Luskan, Torio Claven."

"Typical of Luskan dogs" said Bishop, still not really moved by the slaughter of Ember.

"I hate Luskans!" I said, though I have never met too many of them.

"Luskan dogs won't just throw you into prison" said Bishop "they'll _execute_ you."

"But now I'm within Neverwinter's walls, they've got no power over me!" yes. I used to be that blissfully ignorant.

"No. Luskan can dispense low justice, as Ember is Luskan territory" said Sir Nevalle "unless… you were to become a squire to a knight of Neverwinter."

"Very well!" I stood up and smiled "Sir Nevalle, I am your squire as of today!"

Everyone looked stunned, probably at my stupidity.

"Lailli" finally Casavir sighed, and gently took my arm to pull my back in my seat "it's not that easy."

It really wasn't. I had to meet some slimy knight who kept on ranting about how hard it is to be a squire, and how lucky I was not to have to clean his boots or groom his horse for years (though I was about to tell him I'd sooner marry Bishop than do all those silly tasks). Finally he left me alone in a peaceful little glade, called the "Solace Glade" to meditate all night. Luckily Shandra showed up in a few minutes' time, so I didn't get bored. But just as we began chatting, a nasty trio of ugly people appeared, weapons in hand, and declared their intent of killing me for some obscure reason. Yeah, definitely "solace" glade!

We managed to kill them after a while, so I could finally meditate in peace. Shandra left soon afterwards, and I really considered taking a nap. No moonlight, for clouds darkened the sky.

Anyway, Mr. Slimy Knight (Grayson or something) came up to me before I could doze off, and told me I was his squire and I was safe, rant rant rant.

"Okay, am I safe now?" I asked.

"No. But you'll be tried within Neverwinter's walls."

_Oh hell._

"Time to find myself a lawyer…" I was really getting frustrated as I entered the Sunken Flagon.

"You have found one" said a way too familiar voice from a corner.

Sand.

"Huh? Who is it then?" I asked, looking around.

He rose his eyebrows.

"Why. It's _me_."

I laughed out loud, then slapped his shoulder so hard that he almost fell over.

"That was a good one, Powder! So, who is it?"

His stare hardened. Those azure eyes looked almost as piercing as Bishop's.

"Uh…?"

"This is no joke, _Duncan's kin... _and it's _Sand_."

I blinked a couple of times, then understood what a fool I have been.

"Okay. Will you help me, please?"

He passed a hand on his shiny, and most likely soft (I haven't touched it yet those days) hair, then sighed.

"I will."

Casavir stood up and walked to me.

"And Lailli… I shall stand beside you as well."

"Thank you" I smiled at him.

"Oh, watch out for that paladin charm!" snickered Bishop.

"Oh for Tymora's sake, go drown yourself in a tankard of ale!"

I pretty much hoped he would take it literally or die of alcohol poisoning. I would have _loved_ that!

Though Casavir never showed it, or _any_ particular emotion for that matter, I was sure he felt the same way.

"So, Powd… uh, _Sand_, what should we do now?"

"Well, I think we should definitely take a trip to Ember, but first… I suppose Port Llast will be our first stop. The mayor, Haeromos might know more about what happened."

"Then let's go! Casavir, Grobnar, Shandra, come along!"

"Oh my, I should absolutely make up a song for this horrible tragedy! _The Journey to discover Innocence_…"

"Yes, Grobnar, I'm pretty sure your mind is as blank and pure white as innocence itself… now, let's depart" no one would object to Sand.

What of the trip? Well, Sand walked along sniffing the air and occasionally adjusting his lovely hair I sometimes would really want to caress, Grobnar kept on humming, Shandra looked around worried (though Grobnar's music seemed to calm her down a bit), and Casavir… just walked. Yeah, that was pretty much it. He was a perfect paladin: calm, silent, fighting for the greater good, whatever. I liked the way he stood beside me, wanted to protect me and hated Bishop nearly as much as I did. But I have to admit that I often thought him empty. Polite and all, a cardboard cutout paladin.

But he wasn't. It was on a beautiful moonlit night, the only night we had to spend outside on our way to Port Llast that I finally saw his human side.

I tossed and turned on my bedroll, I couldn't sleep, and not only because Grobnar was snoring, he wasn't that loud anyway. Shandra and Sand both seemed fast asleep, but Casavir's place was empty. Where did he go?

I got up and decided to look for him. I noticed a figure behind some bushes, so I sneaked there as silently as I could. What I saw, though, almost made me drop my guard and get noticed.

His strong form bathing in the silvery moonlight, Casavir knelt on the grass, praying. His ebony black hair shone, his eyes closed, his lips moving.

"Great Tyr, let your justice triumph, let Lailli's innocence shine…"

_My name. _He pronounced _my name_ in his prayer! I resisted the urge to run up to him and hug him. Oh, Casavir!

A tear ran down his cheek, then fell and disappeared on the ground.

That moment, the mental image I had of Casavir fleshed out, acquired form. He was not just a paladin, a fighter for the greater good, yadda yadda. He was _a man_.

* * *

"So, here's the last load. Phew" I was so caught up in my thoughts I didn't even notice Grobnar had came and gone a few times.

"Thank you" I smiled "now, I think I'll sleep a little more."

"Sleep well, Lailli and you too, little one!"

Oh, my dear, dear Grobnar!


	7. The witness

**Sorry for the delay. :) Reviews welcomed!

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Next day I woke up feeling a little dizzy, but guessed I'd better get used to it in the nine months to come.

"Oh! You're awake!" Grobnar popped his head inside the tent just as I stirred and sat up "wait, I'll bring you something to eat."

I smiled. He was totally treating me as if I was unable to tend for myself, but it didn't make me feel awkward.

Unlike it did when Powd… ack! _Sand_ tried to take control over me.

* * *

"So, Lailli, since I trust you didn't do anything…"

"Do I look like I'd slaughter an entire village, huh?" I waved a hand in front of his face, annoyed.

"Stop, please, if you want me to help you" he must have cast Bull's Strength on himself or something, for, when he grasped my arm, I nearly fainted.

"Owww…"

"Don't hurt her!" Casavir immediately stepped in to save me, and lightly placed a hand on my shoulder to steady me as the wizard let me go.

"You should tell her not to disturb me while I try to tune my impeccable sense for justice and bend my keen arcane talents in favor of it, otherwise I might not be of great help."

"As if… oh."

I restrained myself from muttering something mean as I looked at Sand's ears – elves have keen hearing. Though until then he was nothing but bossy, arrogant, slimy and annoying, I still held on to a slight hope that he might actually be of some help. Some, I say, I didn't count too much on him.

Like, I felt he wasn't doing anything worthy when in Port Llast we met Alaine, an Ember survivor and acquaintance of Shandra, who clearly remembered me butchering everyone around her. And what did Sand do?

"Hmm… very interesting…" he said, running a hand over his smooth and shiny hair.

"What? That's all you have to say?"

"Patience, Miss Heyrand, patience…"

Oh, just great. I could already picture myself hanging from the gallows with crows and flies gathering about.

"You came around with dozens of human warriors…"

Well, Bishop and Casavir weren't _dozens _for sure.

"Wait, wait, wait!" I waved my hands to stop Alaine, not caring about Sand's piercing gaze "so you didn't see this gnome here?"

"I didn't look that closely, but I saw _you_ murdering the innocent townspeople!"

Oh hell.

"Well, you see, I am short and people overlook me, generally…" Grobnar fiddled with his lute.

Alaine threw a quick glance at him, then stared at me again with open hatred.

"Oh my, Lailli" Sand rolled his eyes "next time you try to prove your innocence, you might reconsider bringing certain… hmm… short ones along…"

Meaning of this sentence: _Shut up, Grobnar, or else I'll morph you into a mouse and tell my lovely kitty Jaral to get himself some dinner._

"I know what I saw" said Alaine again "Shandra, you shouldn't follow murderers like _her_."

Before Shandra could utter a single word, Sand began talking.

"Very well, thank you for the help, Miss Alaine. But, maybe, couldn't it be someone who looked like her?"

"What? I'm an only child, I don't remember having a twin sister…"

"Miss Heyrand, I didn't mean that, but…"

"Do I have a lot of lookalikes…?"

"Oh, forget it" Sand rolled his eyes as if he'd given up "so, Miss Alaine?"

"Well… I suppose so… but…"

"And she let you go?"

"It wasn't m… ow!" I tried to intervene, when Sand's fingers tightened around my arm again, and one more time I had to be held up by Casavir.

"I managed to escape… and…"

"Thank you, that's all I needed to know."

Buzzards were digging out my guts, while a crow happily feasted on one of my light blue eyes on a nearby rock. A few roaches crawled in my disentangled light brown hair… that was me, after execution.

My lawyer walked ahead, continuosly muttering meaningless words. Or maybe it was just elvish, who cares. At the time, I didn't.

"Miss Heyrand" he said, as we exited Port Llast "you sure see we made some progress."

"Really?" I asked, suddenly dragged back to reality after the horrifying image I kept on picturing.

"But of course. Don't you remember what the witness said?"

Was he enjoying making a fool of me?

"What, that I slaughtered everyone in front of her?"

"No!" Sand stopped, a piercing gaze in his azure eyes "that you let her go, and it could have been someone else who looked just like you!"

I always thought wizards needed great intelligence, but this definitely proved me wrong.

"Oh hell, even your cat could have guessed that!"

"Jaral is very intelligent indeed" Sand didn't seem distubed at all.

I let out a puff of air and tried to throw him a killer look.

"We didn't discover anything of importance."

"Sure we did" he ran his hand over his shiny hair, closing his eyes for a second "that someone who looked like you led murderers to the village of Ember. And Alaine _somehow_ escaped, so she could tell everyone about it."

I blinked, not really getting the point.

"Ah, but why do I need to explain?" Sand sighed in the end "we should get moving. Or rather, camp for the night."

"Couldn't we stay at the inn at Port Llast?"

"I'm afraid they won't let a mass murderer in."

I rolled my eyes, annoyed. I had no idea what Sand had in mind, and, afraid he himself had no idea either, just went on with my thoughts about how would I look on the gallows.

Sincerely, looking at Sand, I somehow wondered when he would slip on his trail of slime. Or maybe drown in it. Until that very night, when he…

* * *

"Lailli! Lailli!" once again Grobnar interrupted my thoughts "here's breakfast!"

He came in with a basket of bread and cheese, with a jug of milk in his other hand.

"Thank you" I smiled as I took the cover off.

"I still find it hard to believe: we're going to see Bildoobaris!" his eyes were shining.

"When will we get there?"

"Well, at this pace…" he seemed deep in his thoughts "still a few weeks to go. We still have to wait for some cargo."

I nodded.

"I just hope it will take less than nine months to reach Crossroad Keep" I ran a hand over my still normal-sized tummy.

Grobnar's stare softened.

"The father's here."

"It's not you!" I felt the need to remind him, I didn't want the whole camp gossiping about how a gnome knocked up a half-elf. Which he didn't, of course.


	8. White flowers

**Sorry if this one is short!**

**Anyway, this is where this story intertwines with a Sand-centric story I am currently writing - but the two are not so closely related, and will be kept separate until the very end.**

**And please REVIEW! I really need your feedback.

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Anyway, my pregnancy wasn't showing yet; I knew it was going to be much harder to keep Grobnar quiet when it would. The father, oh, but where was he? I didn't see him in the collapsing Vale, I fainted before I could check if he could escape. Still, I hoped he would be there at Crossroad Keep, take me into his warm embrace, the one which would make me forget all my worries. Then, we will get married and raise our child. About the baby, I had no idea or "feeling" at all to help me in thinking up a name, but Grobnar seemed sure that it was a girl, as he suggested a new female name about ten times a day. Oh, Grobnar.

Listening to his songs and traveling on the horse he rented and led, the days passed fast. He wouldn't let me carry anything, and, was it for him, I would have lain in bed 24 hours a day. We got to Bildoobaris before I even knew it, and I realized with astonishment it was more than a month since I met dear Grobnar at the inn at Immilmar. Watching the tent-city getting built seemed to fascinate him, and soon he decided to lend a hand by singing inspirational songs to the workers. I lay back on my bedroll, munching on the piece of cake he got for me Tymora knows where. Mmm, honey. Its sweet smell reminded me of the night Sand, Shandra, Casavir, Grobnar and I spent outside again while on our way to Ember.

* * *

Busy as I was picturing myself after execution, now deciding the Luskans wouldn't give me a nice easy choking on the gallows but rather skin me alive or behead me, of course I couldn't sleep. My pretty head lying in a basket…

At least the sweet smell the wind brought could somehow distract me, as it wasn't horrible like that of my dead body would be. Must have been those pretty white flowers I noticed when we camped down for the night.

I stirred and sat up, looking up at the starry sky. Shandra, Grobnar and Casavir were fast asleep. But Sand was nowhere to be seen.

I know I was evil, but I grinned when I thought I would just have to follow the trail of slime to see where he was; but somehow I didn't want to. I didn't like Sand, he was slimy, arrogant and… simply not funny with his sarcasm, which he used to show at _my_ expense! I never did anything wrong to him, okay, maybe nicknaming him _Powder_ wasn't a good idea, but still. He was a horrible person!

I saw his bedroll, so I knew he didn't just plain up and leave us, though, frankly, I couldn't care less if he did. I was going to be executed anyway, especially with his, ahem, _help_, so what was the point?

That sweet smell. The flowers. I decided I'd pick some to show Casavir and tell him to get similar ones for my grave, when I came to a halt. Somebody else had preceded me.

Sand stood by the patch of flowers, carefully picking the prettiest blossoms, the bunch in the crook of his arm was slowly getting thicker and thicker.

_Does he have a secret girlfriend?_, I wondered. Nah, nobody would be stupid enough to date him. Slime, slime and slime… bleah!

Then what, did he need them for potions?

I discarded this second idea when he stopped, and took a ribbon from his pocket to arrange the flowers in a pretty bouquet. The moonlight shone on his face, and I was surprised to see a deep sorrow in his features. I never thought he could make an expression like that. He turned, and I immediately dropped flat on my bedroll, pretending to be asleep and merrily dreaming about rainbows and unicorns.

"Don't think I didn't notice, Lailli."

My eyes opened and I tried my best to look regretful.

"Sand, sorry, I…"

"And don't think I can't tell you're dying to know why I just did this."

_Damn my curiosity_.

"Uhh… well, never mind…"

"Lailli my dear, did you honestly think I would tell somebody like you?"

My peace of mind was instantly gone, and turned to anger. How _could_ he talk to me like that, openly showing that he considered me insignificant and stupid?

"Sand!"

"Quiet, girl, you don't want to wake the others, do you?" he still didn't even look at me, quietly adjusting the ribbon on the bouquet.

I fumed silently, trying my best not to explode. A fast death, faster than Luskan execution, at least…

Suddenly, Sand sighed deeply and grabbed my shoulder to make me look at him. Those azure eyes froze me… only then I noticed their lovely, but somewhat cold colour. And Tymora, were they lovely, and, most surprising of all, they had an incredible depth that showed me Sand had feelings after all.

"You really want to know, eh?"

I tried to shake my head, but I knew he wouldn't believe me.

"I…"

"Fine" he said and caressed the flowers' petals so gently that I couldn't believe those long, thin fingers were the same ones that grasped my arm so painfully the day before "and no, these are not for my wife, lover, fiancée, whatever, for I have none. And don't get your hopes too high, girl, they're not for _you_ either. They're for someone I once loved, but now she is no more."

"…oh" I couldn't say anything more.

"It's alright" he said "just don't tell it around."

I knew he wouldn't say more, so I just mumbled something and lay back. What could I have said, anyway? Offer my condolences? I didn't even know who he was talking about, his lover? His mommy? Maybe his child? Nah, nobody would make babies with someone like him…

* * *

"Ow!" Grobnar burst in, breaking my thoughts.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"They didn't like my song."


	9. Into the caves

**Sorry for the short and very late update - I have only recently managed to catch up with things in my life. Enjoy, read and review!**

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"What did you sing to them, exactly?" I asked.

"Um… the one about whitethistle" Grobnar answered.

"I don't think it grows here, they probably have no idea what you're talking about, it may even irritate them."

I prayed Grobnar didn't just sway off between two lines to chat about his boots or his codpiece. A moment later I realized it was a vain hope; but heck, I keep switching back and forth just like he always does. I guess that's the reason I love him so much.

"Just practice some music here, then."

He smiled and began playing his lute, humming some incomprehensible song. It was a slow, calming melody. My mind wandered back to the day Sand decided we should go to Ember to investigate.

* * *

Sand, slime trailing after him, led us to Ember through a shortcut in the woods. I cannot even explain the destruction we saw there – I used to think I have seen enough when the duergar and bladelings attacked West Harbor, but here, no house was left intact, and the dead were lying around, their wounds gaping. Shandra used to know many of them; we all stood silent as she mourned her fallen friends.

"Very… interesting" said Sand, noting something in his pocketbook "now, Lailli, they say _you_ caused this destruction…"

It took all my will not to strangle him, but in the end I just sighed.

"Then, case closed. I'm too weak to do this all by myself!"

"Not if you took Qara along, like you did that time when…"

I still regretted it, it took me ages to find a new shirt of my favourite color, seeing the old, blackened one.

"Oh, okay…" I said, as I knelt down to pray next to one of the bodies "what else? We did not find anything special…"

"Look!" Grobnar ran up to me holding a thick book "I found this! Maybe there are songs in it and… um… delivery from Port Llast, 1152 coppers… delivery from Luskan, not arriving… boring! But, we could still write a song about it!"

Sand suddenly walked to him with unusual excitement (I never saw him actually _running_, that's why I'm not saying that).

"Very, very interesting" he looked through the pages "Lailli, I think we're done here."

"Wait!" Casavir stopped us "I believed I have heard something coming from the well."

"I'm _not_ going down into a pit of rats!" I said defiantly, hands on my hips.

"Maybe it's something else…" Shandra tried to suggest.

"Throw Grobnar in it, let's see how deep it is…" Sand kept on taking notes.

While we hesitated, Casavir descended into the well with the aid of a rope.

"Hey! Wait for me!" I went after him. A well is not too romantic, but still…

"You…" I heard a voice that nearly made me fall into Casavir's arms. _Nearly_, but I decided to fall anyway.

The little boy we met when we walked through here, Marcus, appeared in the shadows.

"You… looked like you, but it was not you… give this back to your ranger friend, I no longer need it…"

He handed me Bishop's skinning knife. Sure thing, it will find its way into his _back_… I would have so loved to stab him certain times.

"12 men… the one… you… was bald, and big…"

"Case closed, Sand! I am a woman!" I clapped my hands happily.

"No, you're a girl, and Luskans won't believe you. Thank you, my boy, you might want to see me at the trial."

"What? I'll still be put on trial?"

Stupid, stupid me.

Grobnar, only his head out of the water, didn't look too frustrated. He kept on looking around he well – which, to be honest, seemed more like a cave – with curiosity.

"Look!" he exclaimed suddenly "a passage!"

True, there was some half-blocked pasageway – no more water in it – leading slightly upwards. I didn't feel like climbing the rope again, but…

"What if it leads a to a monster-infested place, like an orc camp?" asked Shandra, worried.

"Nah, let's find out! I'm sure there's no orcs! And we have Casavir!" I followed Grobnar without hesitation.

I was totally right, there were no orcs. In compensation, there were giant, poisonous spiders. Ever mentioned how much I _hate_ them?Bishop's knife wasn't of much help, either.

"Aaargh!" screamed Grobnar just when I finally thought we were over with those eight-legged abominations.

"What is it… oh, my Tymora…"

An even greater spider crawled to us from the darkness. Even bigger than some of the houses in Ember.

"Good spidey… nice little spidey…" I tried to force a smile while retreating.

"Interesting…"

Damn it, Sand! Was that the _only_ thing he could say? Was he going to say the same during my execution?

"…it doesn't seem to be attacking us."

The way the spider clattered its fangs somehow did not reassure me at all.

"It looks hungry…" Sand said.

"RUN!"

"…but not for us."

I was already far, far away.

Little did I know that the rest of the caves held many surprises still, that this was not our last encounter with the spider, and that Grobnar would soon wind up to almos finding a girlfriend… or maybe even _two_ of them!

* * *

He finished his melody, and looked up at me.

"Now this was really nice, maybe you could try playing it" I said.

How right I was! As soon as he put down his lute, a lady looked inside the tent.

"I thought I heard a bard playing here…"

"Oh! Right! It was me!" Grobnar jumped up happily.

"It was really good… I wonder if I could ask for a performance this evening, as Bildoobaris will officially open only then?"


End file.
